Revive The Demon [2]

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

With a shove, I skidded the table across the room, also placing the crimson-filled vials a few meters away to avoid any "Incidents".

It's been a month. A whole month since I accepted the mind-blowing reality: I'm trapped inside my favorite game, [Hero's Quest: Godhood]. Also a month since I hightailed it out of the Arenford mansion – well, not exactly "hightailed." More like a strategic retreat before things got messy.

Best decision ever, at least at the time. Staying any longer meant guaranteed slave treatment, not to mention the Dark Church breathing down my neck.

But here's the thing that makes zero sense: I escaped that very night, but should have still encountered the Dark Church goon sent to snatch Lumiea. According to the game, that's exactly what was supposed to happen.

In the game, after his exile, Lumiea remained a slave in the Arenford mansion, trapped with nowhere to go. Since his bloodline, naturally, refused to awaken.

But then, that same night, a group of shadowy figures – six or seven, I think – materialized, offering him a chance at revenge. They helped him unlock his bloodline, transforming him into Kyren, the [Main villain] who plagued both the first and second games.

But screw that path. My sole purpose in this warped reality is to find "her." My actions may well trigger a butterfly effect, potentially derailing major plot points, but I don't give a damn. This world can burn for all I care.

With a grimace, I uncorked the first vial, the crimson liquid catching the dim light like spilled blood. I emptied it onto a rusty tray I'd scavenged earlier. The floor cleared of obstructions, it was time for business.

Lumiea's bloodline couldn't be awakened through conventional means. It was demonic in nature, a secret known only to the Dark Church and the Priestess of the divine order. The Church likely gleaned the truth from their resident witch, while the Priestess... well, maybe from the goddess of life.

Whatever the case, the Dark Church used a specific magic circle for the awakening. While I wouldn't exactly call myself a master of many things, I do boast an impressive memory for seemingly useless trivia. The circle, down to the tiniest detail, was etched clear in my mind.

Drawing it required an absurd amount of blood, and considering my current state of malnourishment (think walking skeleton), I could only resort to borrowing from every ruthless thug I crossed paths with.

Kneeling on the rough ground, I dipped my finger in the crimson liquid and began tracing the intricate design onto the bare surface. Circles within circles, inverted and upright triangles morphing into star-like shapes, all linked by a network of lines and intricate flourishes. Minutes ticked by as the crude magic circle began to take form.

"Can't believe I actually remember all this," I muttered, staring down at my handiwork with a mix of disbelief and grim determination.

The crimson liquid from the vials barely sufficed. I even contemplated adding a drop of my own blood, but thankfully, it seemed to hold. The emptied vials lay discarded in the corner, silent witnesses to the ritual.

"Let's get this over with," I mumbled, carefully placing the tray far from the finished circle.

I walked towards the design, taking a deep breath before stepping into its center. Though I hadn't used my own blood to draw it, the game did mention the necessity of the user's blood. Improvisation, then.

I bit down on my index finger, letting a bead of blood roll down my hand and mingle with the magic circle.

'Just hope it freaking works. All this effort better not be for nothing,' the thought pulsed through my head as I squeezed my eyes shut.

I'd been diligently practicing how to sense mana during my downtime, so that wasn't an issue. I focused, letting my mana seep into the atmosphere and infuse the circle itself. Then, I opened my eyes.

The crimson lines of the circle now pulsed with an ominous glow, as if something malevolent writhed beneath its surface. I tried to move, but my body felt rooted to the spot.

Panic clawed at my throat. I squeezed my eyes shut again, bracing for the unknown. The next instant, a wave of searing pain, unlike anything I'd ever experienced, ripped through me.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!